AVENTURA, FLA. (WSVN) - - After the turkey dinners were done, people hungry for some Black Friday deals flocked to malls and large retailers across South Florida to take advantage of big discounts.
Shoppers filled Aventura Mall Friday night in search of the best deals and steals.
“Some places were 60 percent [off], which was good at Macy’s for linens,” said shopper Hilda Rodriguez, “and then Bath and Body Works, I don’t even remember, but it was a lot of ‘buy one, get one free.'”
It was more of the same at Dolphin Mall in Sweetwater, but for some the fun suddenly turned frightening after, police said, someone pulled the fire alarm at the food court.
Cellphone video showed the pandemonium and fear as shoppers ran for cover.
But the chaos was quickly defused, and the shopping center resumed normal operations shortly after.
Police said they’re doing everything they can to make the shopping experience safe for everyone.
“We have uniformed officers as well as undercover,” said Sweetwater Police Officer Jonathan Argche. “You’ll see some of them, and most of them you won’t see, which is a good thing for our shoppers.”
At Sawgrass Mills Mall in Sunrise, the Black Friday madness attracted hundreds — all hoping to bag the best bargain.
“We got her a $300 backpack for $80,” said a shopper. “Yep, Kate Spade.”
Down at Dadeland Mall in Kendall, crowds saw nothing but dollar signs.
And at the BrandsMart along Northwest 167th Street in Miami Gardens, dozens of dedicated shoppers lined up for hours to take advantage of doorbuster deals on electronics.
BrandsMart advertised up to 88 percent off of certain items. Doors opened at 6 a.m.
7News spoke with some of the first people in line to see what they were trying to hunt down.
“I’m just here to get him a PS4,” said one man. “We just came from Tallahassee, so we just ate, stayed up playing games all night, and now we’re here.”
Another shopper was thinking about home safety, for the right price.
“Got the security system. You know, the holidays are coming, and I’ve got to ensure my home [is safe],” she said, “and beautiful prices. I love it.”
For those in line, the wait was worth the hundreds of dollars saved on items such as TVs, game consoles and headphones.
Dolphin Mall was open on Black Friday until 11 p.m.
These are the mall hours for the rest of Thanksgiving weekend:
Sawgrass Mills
Saturday: 10 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Dolphin Mall
Saturday: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Dadeland Mall
Saturday: 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Aventura Mall
Saturday: 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.